54 Days at Sea — April 13/14, Stromboli Volcano and Katakalon, Greece

Stromboli volcano

MS Prinsendam left Civitavecchia (Rome) on April 12 for a two-day journey to our next destination. But before reaching Katakolon, Greece, we would pass by a volcano that has been erupting constantly for the past 2,000 years, and for much of the past 20,000 years. This is the (surprisingly) inhabited island of Stromboli, made famous in the 1864 Jules Verne novel Journey to the Center of the Earth and the 1950 Ingrid Bergman film Stromboli.

Stromboli volcanic crater

About a mile/1.6 kilometers northeast of Stromboli is a very small island upon which is situated a lighthouse and some very distinctive rock formations reminiscent of animals. This is Strombolicchio, which MS Prinsendam sailed past after our closeup view of Stromboli.

Strombolicchio

MS Prinsendam then continued south through the Strait of Messina separating Sicily from the toe of the Italian boot. We then turned east into the Ionian Sea for Katakalon (Katakalo), Greece, where we docked the following day. Photographically, Katakalon is one of my favorite subjects. There’s a lot of brightly colored images packed into a very small area.

Tug in Katakolon, Greece

MS Prinsendam moored in Katakolon, Greece

And here is the town we will explore on Wednesday:

Katakolon Panaroma